Sellersville finds tenant for borough hall office

Sales, marketing firm will be housed in lower level of building.

January 14, 2004|By Geoffrey F.X. O'Connell Special to The Morning Call - Freelance

Sellersville Borough Council is getting a new downstairs neighbor -- a small, privately owned sales and marketing firm.

Council approved a one-year lease Monday for the lower level of the municipal building on Church Street to Scandinavian Formulas Inc.

The lower level had housed a regional police force until last year, when the borough pulled out of an arrangement with East Rockhill and West Rockhill townships. The Pennridge Regional Police Commission sued Sellersville in Bucks County Court over the breakup.

The lease for 3,000 square feet is effective immediately and runs until Dec. 31. The company is moving its operations from N. Seventh Street in Perkasie.

In response to council questions, Borough Manager Alan Frick said, "They are in sales, but what they sell I do not know."

According to the company's Web site, Scandinavian Formulas specializes in the sale and marketing of natural health care products, dietary supplements, specialty chemicals and botanicals.

Company officials were unavailable.

"We have been seriously looking [for a tenant] since May or June," Frick said after the meeting. "We had been making repairs all of last year."

Borough solicitor Randy White recommended that council review the situation 90 days before the lease expiration to explore renewal options.

The monthly rent is $2,020. Council approved setting up an interest-bearing escrow account for the tenant's one-month security deposit.

According to Frick, the company rejected a request to include an office for the borough tax collector in return for reduced rent.

The tax collector will continue to work in space available upstairs with the other borough offices, he said.

Frick said he was unaware of how many municipalities leased office space to private companies.

"But you just have to look next door to Perkasie," he said. "It rents part of its space to Curves, the women's exercise franchise."